Having suffered a toxic injury during my career as an air-crew member and the fact that I am still suffering from various symptoms after inhaling toxic fumes onboard aircraft for years while flying for a major European airline, I have over time learned how to look after myself to improve my health and be able to, at least to a degree, enjoy life again.

Many victims contact me and I way too often see how people struggle with the same health issues and are not finding adequate help, worse, are being ridiculed as hypochondriacs, and some even report having been threatened that they would loose their jobs. Or, if they are being helped they are paying astronomical prices for therapies, often without having relevant tests done beforehand.

My first advise is: spend the money on valid blood tests and other useful analysis methods that will give you proof and evidence of neurotoxic injury. Go to reputable, knowledgable experts. After that, you can, with a little initiative, do a whole lot for yourself without spending a lot of money. The money you save which you would have spent for the professional's fee before even receiving and therapy or having to buy their usually very expensive products, you can spend for healthy foods and therapies and supplements you can get elsewhere at more affordable prices.

But first some information.

Symptoms

​During and after flights you have symptoms and are not feeling well, you are even in pain - but your physician can not find a reason?You could be suffering from a form of environmental health issue similar to sick-building-syndrome: a poisoning from chemicals and toxins. If you have been on a flight or as a frequent flyer on several flights recently or regularly as crew, you could be suffering after inhaling contaminated cabin air. from following symptoms:​

Extreme fatigue

Concentration problems

Word finding problems

Tingling in hands and feet

Tremor

Breathing/ lung issues

Palpitations

Sleep issues

Itchiness/ rashes

Dizziness

Tinnitus

Headaches

Vision problems ( tunnel vision)

Hairloss

Aching and weak muscles (like when you have a flu)

Joint pain

Digestion issues

Sudden allergies

Sinus issues

Nose bleeds

All of these symptoms or some of them, can lead to (biomonitoring) findings of organophosphate poisoning. Organophosphates (OP) are neurotoxic agents contained in i.e. jet-engine oils, kerosine fumes, insecticides (spraying on board to certain destinations and residual spraying), hydraulic oils, flame retardants etc.

Crew and passengers, especially frequent flyers are constantly in danger of accumulating, through inhalation and with each breath a new dose, a slowly but surely lethal dose of these neurotoxins in their system , which will deposit itself in the fatty tissue (such as the brain, pancreas etc) . This will lead to constant uncomfortable symptoms and ill-health.

For this to happen one does not need to be exposed to a so called or visible 'fume event' , during which you can see smoke-similar fumes in the cabin; but by regular flying over a longer period of time you will be inhaling with each breathe you take many doses of so called low level chemical 'smells' which are often described as 'old, dirty socks' or 'wet dog' smells but also can smell 'electric' or not at all, all of which actually contain these neurotoxic agents.

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Author

After becoming unfit to fly and being medically 'retired' Bearnairdine became involved in scientific research for the campaign 'improve the quality of aircraft cabin air' and the helping of victims to understand their ill-health; coming from a medical background she is also a health consultant & educator with over 25 years professional and personal experience ; she is a published author of three books in two languages and the founder of the " AEROTOXIC TEAM" and 'Global Aerotoxicteam', educational website and socialmedia pages. She not only became unfit to fly, but also unable to work in her former profession due to her severe central nervous system injury; she receives a small disabilty allowance and is still fighting to receive her workplace related ill-health pension. She lives in a beautiful, but secluded area of the Swiss alps and continues to support the aerotoxic campaign via computer and telephone. She is available for media inquiries.